Coin-operated ink vending apparatus for fountain pens



March 9, 1943. A E EN. 2,313,293

COIN-OPERATED INK VENDING APPARATUS FOR FOUNTAIN PENS Filed Feb. 24,- 1939 Patented Mar. 9, 1943 TENT QE'FICE CQIN-OPERATED'INK VENDING APPARATUS FGR FOUNTAIN PEN S Adolf Fudem, Bardejov, Czechoslovakia; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application February 24, 1939, Serial No. 258,276 In Czechoslovakia March 5, 1938 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a coin-operated ink vending apparatus for fountain pens.

The invention consists essentially in this, that by the insertion of a certain coin an opening is uncovered for allowing the fountain pen to be introduced into an ink container, which opening is held open by a locking arrangement simultaneously put in operation, the locking arrangement being brought into its inoperative position by the introduction of the fountain pen into the ink container.

In the accompanying drawing a constructional example of the invention is illustrated. Fig. l of the drawing is a front elevation of the vending mechanism and Fig. 2 a side elevation in part section.

In a casing A closed on all sides is an opening I, the continuation of which forms a guide for the inserted coin, which is constituted by the rails I2, I3. In to this guide extends a lever 2 which with a catch 3 engages in a notch of the lever 4 which extends through the coin guide. The lever 4 is pivotally connected to one arm of the two-armed lever 6, the other arm ofwhich engages under an extension of a sliding member II. The lever B can beturned in oppositionto the spring 3| by means of a hand actuated member 5. The sliding piece II is connected" by means of the connecting rod T with a further sliding member I l' which is acted on by theten 1 sion of a powerful spring 8'.

The opening 23 for the introduction of the fountain pen is in the normal state closedby the door ll which is provided with a rack; in which engages the two-armed pawl I6 which is pivotally jointed at I to a two-armed lever M. The lever l4 also extends into the coin" guide. By means of the connecting rod 2| the door H is connected by way of a joint 22 tothetwo-armed lever I8 which is pivoted on the pin and is loaded by the spring l9. The one-armed lever 9 bears against the sliding member II and is pressed against the sliding piece by the spring ID. The two-armed lever 2! coacts with the lever 9 and is connected by the joint 26 with the lever 24 which is pivoted on the pin 25 and extends into the coin guide.

To the opening 23 for the introduction of the pen 28 which is to be filled is connected a tubular guide 36 for guiding the pen into the ink well. Above this pen guide is disposed a flap 29which is forced by a weak spring 32 into the said guide, while from below a leaf spring 34 extends'into the guide. The ink well 33 can be filled through the opening 35 with ink Which is taken from the reservoir 30 arranged inside the casing A by means of a suitable pipe which for instance leads by way of float-actuated regulating means which provide a constant supply to the ink well 33.

The described arrangement operates in the following manner:

On a coin being inserted through the opening I into the guide I2, I3, it will first strike against the lever 2 and force the catch 3 of the latter out of the notch in the lever 4, the coin being arrested by that part of the lever 4, which extends through the guide I2, I3. Through the release of the lever 4 it becomes possible to turn' the actuating member 5 by hand from an inoperative I position and the lever 6 will on the one'hand draw the lever 4 out of the guide I 2, I 3, allowing the coin to move further, and on the other hand will raise the sliding member II and II respectively to an inoperative position in' opposition to the force of the spring 3. As soon as the sliding member II has been raised beyond the end of the lever 9, the latter is forced by the spring Ifl under the lower surface of the sliding member II and prevents it moving back again. On the actuating member 5 being released, the levers 4 and 6 are returned by the spring 3i into their original position and at the-same time the catch 3 of the lever 2 re-engagesin the notch of the lever 4.

In the meantime the coin has continued to drop and will in the course of its motion have first struck against the lever It, whereby the engagement between the lever I6 and the rack of the door I! has been released. This enables the spring I9 to come into action and by means of the lever l8 and the connecting rod 2I to lift the door I! and uncover the opening 23 for allowing the pen to be introduced; As soon as the'door I! has been raised, the spring 32 forces the flap 29' into the tubular pen guide 36, so that it will engage under the door II. During its further motion the coin strikes against the lever 24, causing the end of the lever 21 to'forcethe lever 9 out of the position, in which it engages thesliding member I I. This enablesthe springfl'to draw the sliding piece towards it, and thedoor i1 is carried along since a pin'tlon the'do'or extends into a recess 38 of the sliding. member H. This return motion of the sliding piece II and of the door I1 does not however cause the opening 23 to be closed, owing to the presence of the flap 29 which in the meantime has been forced into the pen guide motion which the door I! rests.

on the fountain pen 28' being. thereupon introduced through the opening 23 into the ink well 33, the flap 29 is forced out of its position, in which it supports the door l1, and the door I! will be lowered by the tension of the spring 8, until it rests on the upper side of the pen 28.

The flap 29 will bear against the door H, as can soon as the tapered end portion of the pen engages under the door l1, while the pen is being withdrawn, the door will drop slightly and, as the pawl i6 is in engagement with the rack of the door, it is impossible subsequently to raise the door for the introduction of another pen.

without the insertion of a fresh coin.

Those parts of the arrangement which come in direct contact with the fountain pen, are covered with felt pads which protect the pen from damage and wipe off the adhering ink.

What I claim is:

1. In coin-operated ink vending apparatus for filling fountain pens, a casing, an ink well within the casing, said casing having an opening therein through which a fountain pen may be introduced into the ink well, a door movably mounted adjacent said opening, spring actuated means biasing said door to a position to cover said opening, manually operable means connected to said spring actuated means for moving said spring-actuated means to an inoperative position, a coin guide, detent means maintaining said manually operable means in an inoperative position, means actuated by movement of a coin in said coin guide for releasing said detent means, ratchet means retaining said door in said position to cover the opening, means actuated by further movement of the coin in said coin guide for releasing said ratchet means, and means operable after actuation of the last mentioned means and after actuation of said manually operable means moving said door to a position uncovering said opening.

2. In coin-operated ink vending apparatus for filling fountain pens, a casing, an ink well within the casing, said casing having an opening therein through which a fountain pen may be introduced into the ink well, a door movably mounted adjacent said opening, spring actuated means biasing said door to a position to cover said opening, manually operable means connected to said spring actuated means for moving said spring-actuated means to an inoperative position, a coin guide, detent means maintaining said manually operable means in an inoperative position, means actuated by movement of a coin in said coin guide for releasing said detent means, rack teeth carried by said door, a pawl engaging said rack teeth retaining the door in a position to close said opening, a pivotally mounted lever moved by further movement of the coin in said coin guide forreleasing the pawl from the rack teeth, and means for moving the door to a position uncovering said opening.

3. Coin-operated ink vending apparatus for filling fountain pens comprising, a casing, anink well within the casing, said casing having an opening therein for the introduction of a fountain pen into the ink Well, a door slidably mounted adjacent said opening, a slide member, lost motion connecting means coupling the slide member to said door, yieldable means actuating said slide member so as to move the door to a position covering said opening, manually operable means connected to said slide member including a knob arranged outside the case for moving said slide member to a position whereby the door may be moved to uncover said opening, a downwardly extending coin guide, coin-operated releasable means including a lever extending into said coin guide for retaining said manually operable means in an inoperative position whereby the door may be moved to uncover said opening'upon introduction of a coin into said coin guide, and means releasable upon the introduction of a fountain pen through said opening for retaining the door in a position uncovering said opening.

4. Coin-operated ink vending apparatus for filling fountain pens comprising, a casing, an ink well within the casing, said casing having an opening therein for the introduction of a fountain pen into the ink well, a door slidably mounted adjacent said opening, a slide member, means coupling said slide member to the door, yieldable means actuating said slide member so as to move the door to a position obstructing said opening, manually operable means connected to said slide member for moving said slide member in an inoperative position, a downwardly extending coin guide, coin-operated releasable means including a lever extending into the coin guide for retaining said manually operable means in an inoperative position whereby the door may be moved to uncover said opening upon movement of a coin in said coin guide, detent means engaging said slide member for retaining the slide member in said inoperative position, and means actuated by further movement of the coin in said coin guide for releasing said detent means from said slide member.

5. In apparatus for vending ink for filling fountain pens, a casing, an ink well within said casing, said casing having an opening therein through which a fountain pen may be introduced into the ink well, a movable door, means biasing said door to a position obstructing said opening, means for rendering said biasing means momentarily inoperative, means operable upon actuation of the last mentioned means for moving the door to a position unobstructing said opening, means released by the introduction of a fountain pen into said ink well for maintaining the door in said unobstructing position whereby the door will be moved by said biasing means to obstruct said opening when the fountain pen is withdrawn from the casing.

6'. In apparatus for vending ink for writing pens, a casing, means within said casing for receiving a supply of writing liquid, said casing having an opening therein through which a writing pen may be introduced into the liquid supply, a movable door, means biasing said'door to a position obstructing said opening, means for troduction of the writing pen into 'said liquid for maintaining the door clear. of said opening whereby the doorwill be moved by said biasing means to obstruct said opening when the writing pen is withdrawn from the casing, and means preventing reversed movement of said door during operation of said biasing means.

7. In apparatus for vending ink for writing pens, a casing, an ink well within said casing, said casing having an opening therein through which a writing pen may be introduced into the ink well, a movable door, means biasing said door to a position obstructing said opening, means for rendering said biasing means momentarily inoperative, means operable upon actuation of the last mentioned means for moving the door to a position vertically of said opening, means released by the introduction of a writing pen into said ink well for maintaining the door vertical of said opening whereby the door will be moved by said biasing means to obstruct said opening when the fountain pen is withdrawn from the casing, a coin guide, means responsive to the absence of a coin in said coin guide preventing reversed movement of the door during operation of said biasing means.

8. In apparatus for vending ink for writing pens, a casing, means within the casing for receiving a supply of ink, said casing having an opening therein through which a writing pen may be introduced into the ink supply, a movable door, ratchet means maintaining said door in a position obstructing said opening, coin-controlled means for releasing said ratchet means, means operable upon the release of said ratchet means for moving said door to a position unobstructing said opening, means movable to a position to be engaged by the writing pen when inserted into the ink supply releasably retaining said door in a position unobstructing said opening, and means for moving the door to a position to obstruct said opening when the pen is withdrawn from the casing.

9. In apparatus for vending ink for writing pens, a casing, an ink well within said casing, said casing having an opening therein through which a writing pen may be introduced into the ink well, a movable door, means biasing said door to a position obstructing said opening, means for rendering said biasing means inoperative, spring-operated means of less force than said biasing means moving the door to a position unobstructing said opening when the biasing means is inoperative, means released by the introduction of a writing pen into said ink well for maintaining the door in said unobstructing position whereby the door will be moved by said biasing means to obstruct said opening when the fountain pen is withdrawn from the casing.

ADOLF FUDEM. 

